I was walking to a restaurant with four other people whom I had just met at a conference that day. On our short walk to have dinner together my negative assumptions were on a downward spiral!

Here’s what happened: At one point during the journey, two of the people were huddled in discussion as they walked together in front of the group. The other two were together in the middle of the group also engaged in in what appeared to be a gripping conversation. That left me at the back of the group—walking all by myself.